We prefer a civil use of biotechnologies!

We prefer a civil use of biotechnologies…

…says Joseph DeFrank, a chairman of the NATO Team of Experts for decontamination technologies, whose meeting focused on new biotechnologies and their testing in military and civil use has taken place this week in Brno.

Mr. Chairman, can you tell us why the Team of Experts meeting was organized just in Brno, is there any coincidence with the work of Czech scientists?

These meetings take place in various countries where the scientists participating at the Team’s work are working. The work that is carried out in laboratories and institutes in Brno are of utmost importance for the work of our group, and it was very kind that Mr. Damborský, Prokop and Opluštil offered us to serve as the meeting’s hosts.

What do you consider to be the main benefit and significance of the meeting?

The NATO Team asked us to organize demonstrative tests of using enzymes for liqidation of dangerous chemical and biological substances this year. A major part of our discussion is therefore devoted to preparation of these tests. Being a group of scientists as well, we also use this meeting for sharing and exchange of information. I hold a post of the American Biotechnology Group Chairman as well, and I welcome the opportunity to learn about the increasing interest in biotechnologies on Brno and Prague, for it’s a part of my work. I hope that this meeting will lead to a stronger interaction between English and Czech scientists in the future.

How many harmful chemicals are currently degradable by using biotechnologies?

The major classes of such chemicals are nerve agents, blistering agents such as sulfur mustard (yperite) and also a wide range of biological substances. The nerve agents are degradable by numerous enzymes, the same is true for the biological agents. The greatest problem and challenge was posed by yperite, an oil-like substance that is not water-soluble in contrary to the enzymes that should degrade it. The great challenge that the Czech scientists are working on is finding a way of combining enzymes and yperite in a way enabling a mutual interaction. Slowly but surely, they are closing to the solution.

Are there any thoughts about civil use of the new technologies?

Years ago, when the work on this research projects was started, there was considered exclusively a military use of the results. The potential use in civil life field is quite a recent idea. Currently, we are working with enzymes in dry powder form, and the user of such material can use it combined with water, extinguishing foam or any detergent. It can be used anywhere because of the water solubility, what makes it an ideal candidate for e.g. cleaning contaminated surfaces. But I strongly recommend to avoid using it for cleaning, for example, a computer – it would be undoubtedly very clean then, but the same cannot be said about its functionality.

What are the current trends in the protection against biological and chemical agents?

The majority of the scientific groups working on this topic are heading in the same direction, i.e. using catalysts. Such kind of solution is very efficient and simultaneously enabling to achieve a strong reaction by using only a small amount of the material. For example, if you would like to prepare two thousand liters of enzyme solution, a kilogram of the dried substance is sufficient for you. This fact embodies a great advantage in transport and storage issues. You can treat the enzyme like a washing powder – just put it in the shell and let it be. The new areas of research are considering and counting on applications not only for classical military use, but also for remedying other situations related to toxic or chemical threats, being it pesticides or other substances.

Are there any potential threats in the category of terrorist attacks using chemical of biological agents, that should we be aware, and even afraid of, here in the Czech Republic?

Such a question is beyond my specialization, I do not know anything more than what could be learnt from the media. We are focusing on potential threats in a world scope, not related to any particular place or country. You never know, it may happen anywhere. Maybe you recall the case of a cult organizing attacks in Japan in the 90s, or the anthrax-attacks in USA. We are not doing our job because of one particular threat, but because any one of a variety of potential threats can become very real anytime. We hope that none of our products would be needed to use because of such a case. A preferred application would be a case of a pesticide-or-something-similar transporting truck accident, an everyday issue, not because of war or terrorism.

How many steps towards the practical applications have been made already?

Currently, it is an issue of research and development. The enzymes in question are already produced by some companies, but they have not been so far united in such a product that any army would purchase. There is a commercial product in the American market in the fire- extinguishing field based on such technology, but as far as I know, nobody has purchased it as well. So far, these substances are not used in practice, but I really hope for a change there – ideally before I retire!

Mr. Joseph J. DeFrank was elected leader of the NATO Team of Experts in 2006. Mr DeFrank is a member of the bio-defense team of the American Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Institute, an author of tens of scientific publication, a co-author of several American patents, awarded many times for his scientific activities. In his position, he is responsible for programmes of basic and applied research including the utilization of biological and biotechnological systems for decontamination and demilitarization of chemical and biological weapons, as well as liquidation of other chemical risks of military importance. His own research activities are focused on microbiology, enzymology and molecular biology. Joseph J. DeFrank is a member of several military boards and scientific societies, e.g. Army Research Office Coordinating Group for Biology, Army Biotechnology Working Group, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society, American Society for Microbiology, International Society for Environmental Biotechnology a Scientific Research Society for Industrial Microbiology.

As a specialist, he has a long history of cooperation with NATO. He was a member of several workgroups and in 1994-2005, he was a leader of a group focused on biotechnological decontamination. (NATO Project Group 31).

Gate2biotech team

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